Kota Kinabalu: THREE emergency motions to discuss the Malaysia Agreement, Petroleum Agreement, Goods and Services Tax (GST) as well as security in the East Coast were rejected for reasons of technicality and late submission.

Right after the one-hour question and answer session ended, Monday, Dr Jeffrey stood up asking about the status of his application to move the emergency motion on the Malaysia Agreement and Petroleum Agreement as Speaker Datuk Seri Salleh Tun Said straightaway called Pantai Manis Assemblyman, Datuk Rahim Ismail, to table the motion of thanks to the Head of State Tun Juhar Mahiruddin for his State Government policy speech.

However, Salleh explained that his application had been rejected because it was submitted late since an emergency motion under Standing Order 23 (1) must be submitted 24 hours earlier.

"Bingkor Assemblyman submitted the application earlier but did not specify which Standing Order he was referring his application to.

So it was returned to him so that he can make the necessary changes," he said.

But, Salleh said Dr Jeffrey's amended application was submitted late to his office. Therefore, it was rejected and again invited Rahim who is also the Sabah Barisan Nasional Back Benchers Club (BNBBC) to table the motion of thanks.

On hearing this, Chan stood up inquiring about his application to discuss the security issue in the East Coast in view of the recent kidnapping in Semporna. Salleh said his motion was also rejected for similar reason.

When Chan tried to argue that the same motion was accepted despite being tabled on the same day in Parliament, recently, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman interjected and pointed out to Standing Order 50 (1) that the Chair's (Speaker) decision is final.

Chan's Likas colleague, Junz Wong had applied to move a motion to discuss the GST but he did not raise the matter with Salleh.

In a statement to the Press later, Wong said he was disappointed when receiving the letter from the Speaker's office rejecting his application because under Standing Order 23 (2) a member must hand over written notification to the Speaker or his Deputy on the matter he wishes to discuss.

Wong said he was puzzled that his application was rejected although the GST Bill was only passed in the Lower House in Parliament late evening on April 7.

Meanwhile, another group from the Progressive Institute of Public Policy Analysis Sabah (PIPPA) also handed to Speaker Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak and Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman papers on how the rights and control of territorial waters are now supposedly back to Sabah and Sarawak.

The group comprising Zainal Ajamain, Datuk James Ligunjang and PIPPA Director Amde Sidik also handed over papers to Datuk Lajim Ukin, the Opposition Chief and the two Deputy Speakers.

Almost all the Assemblymen were also given the papers on their way into the House.